Gunman, Hostages Reported Dead In Aurora, Colo., Standoff

Four people are dead inside an Aurora, Colo., home Saturday following a standoff with an "armed and dangerous" man holding hostages, police say. Aurora is the Denver suburb where a gunman opened fire in a movie theater last July, killing 12 and injuring many more.

The alleged gunman is reportedly among the dead. After several hours of negotiations failed, Police Sgt. Cassidee Carlson told The Associated Press, the suspect was shot and killed in an exchange of fire with police.

Police found three more bodies upon entering the home. A fifth person escaped without injury before officers arrived, but Carlson declined to elaborate.

This latest episode of gun violence comes as the case against the alleged theater shooting suspect goes to court on Monday. James Holmes faces 166 charges, including murder and attempted murder, in an attack that appalled the nation.

The preliminary hearing, the Denver Post says, is where prosecutors will outline the evidence against Holmes. It's expected to take all week, with hundreds of people in attendance.

Update at 2:52 p.m. ET: 'Lifeless Bodies'

The identities of the gunman and victim haven't been released, but the Denver Post has a little more information on what happened:

"The gunman fatally shot two men and a woman, police say. One woman jumped from an upstairs back window, ran from the home and called police just before 3 a.m., said Cassidee Carlson, Aurora police spokeswoman.

"The woman told police officers that she saw three 'lifeless' bodies in the home. The woman was not injured by the jump or by gunshots."

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